[Sleep-related breathing disorders and normal or high-tension glaucoma: 35 patients with polysomnographic records].

Purpose: To look for early stage glaucoma symptoms in patients referred for sleep-related breathing disorders or sleep apnea syndrome.

Patients And Method: Thirty-five patients between October 2001 and April 2002 consecutively admitted for polysomnographic evaluation were investigated. Each patient had complete ophthalmologic examination before the nocturnal record. A blue-on-yellow Humphrey computerized perimetry test was given, and a standard perimetry with a color vision test if abnormalities were found. The criteria studied were intraocular pressure, optic nerve cupping and aspect, visual field indices and visual field aspect, which were compared to the respiratory disturbance index. Twenty-seven subjects were included in this analysis, nine women and 18 men.

Results: In eight patients, the respiratory disturbance index was higher than 10. All intraocular pressures were normal. Visual field defects were found in two patients with both standard and blue-on-yellow perimetry, and in 12 patients with only blue-on-yellow perimetry. Mean deviation and visual field aspect correlated well with the respiratory disturbance index (p=0.026, p=0.033). Other visual field indices were not correlated with the respiratory disturbance index.

Conclusion: In this study, we found visual field alterations with blue-on-yellow computerized perimetry that did not exist with standard perimetry. The visual field defects were more frequent when the respiratory disturbance index was poor.